TX. Tri Race recap

The TX Tri was an Olympic distance and my second of all time. My first back in July was finished out at 3:27:40, flat course and hot. So heading out to Canyon Lake, TX. was hilly and after taking the time early to drive out there on my motorcycle and GPS the course I knew it was going to be a tough bike course and probably a not so easy run course.

Myself, JD, and Daniel were signed up but JD bailed out as the time drew near, yeah, he earned the title Mr. Pink Panties for now, ha! So Daniel and I were at the starting line Saturday morning with this being Daniels first Olympic. Overall, there was 142 people who raced. The swim was a wetsuit swim at 76*, so some had it, like me, others like Daniel went without. Oh yeah, this was ol`skool timing, no Chips, manual calling out numbers with a clip board tracking.

Swim: Ok, the swim was good. There was 3 starting waves and Daniel and I were in the first wave. Not too big, no problem really. Just swim out counterclockwise around buoys and back. I felt good but could tell I got a little tired about the last 500 but finished well and on to T2.

Time = 37:52. (2:31min/100meters)

T1 and T2: no times but pretty uneventful, standard in out stuff.

Bike: As I headed out on the bike course it was a little cool coming out of the water but didn't take long to dry off. The bike course left the park where the swim and run were located but it was about 2.5 mile out of the park till you hit the main highway. During this time I started passing people and before I hit the hwy. I really thought I was going out too fast but noticed I was just hanging around 19mph so I kept rolling. Once on the main highway it was a left out of the park and basically a big circle loop back to the park. Immediately out of the park it was climbing time. The climbs ranged from long easy, to short steep! This went on for the first 9 miles of the course before we got to some down hill sections where you could tell we were at the highest point in that area and were working our way back down for the time being. My speed would range from 10 mph to about 26mph and HR was doing great hitting my z4 at times but then recovering. My legs felt fine for the first 15 miles even though at mile 9.5 was this freakn` short but steep hill and I saw people out of the saddle so I knew it was going to be work. I used all the down hill speed I could get but it didn't last long and I was down shifting and cranking hard. Then it was out of the saddle time and was like shit! This hill is longer than it appears and as my speed slowed to concentrating on cranking Left leg, Right leg, Left Leg, I began to think I really wasn't going to make it to the top! Lungs Burning now! Shit! (but you know when at times you just tell yourself that YOU HAVE to get there because getting off and walking or whatever IS NOT AN OPTION) that is was I thought so one stroke at a time and I made it up! Whew!

Daniel was out of the water at 31mins so he had a little start on me and I figured I would catch him by around 10 miles but it was at 13.5 I came up on him and yelled out, he was doing good and felt fine. During this part of the course, it was totally similar to Montgomery riding so I was holding a nice 21mph as I passed and kept up till the hill at mile 16. Now it wasn't as steep as the short kick my ass hill earlier but it was LOOOOONG and I thought this is going to be nasty but I attacked it as the base as far as I could and then settled in for some upright climbing in the saddle and hey, knocked it out! Now here is where it gets fun. The RD told us that this hill is a long climber and when you reach the top to use Caution descending because if you let yourself go, you could hit some great speeds. So now that I was at the top It was descent time and I started off pedaling but quickly gained speed to shift up to biggest gear and soon out pedaled that so now it was coast and fly time. I looked down and was going about 32 mph and was feathering the brakes just a little but realized I felt OK and no more brakes and just let it go!!! and GO!! AND GO!! There was time to see how fast I was actually going but I passed 4 people on the way down like they were standing still and I was praying that I was not going to have any "unscheduled dismounts!" (at the end of the race I checked my Garmin and I clocked 41.4mph down that SUCKER!! SHIT YEA! pays to be a Clyds. at times and use that weight for something) The rest of the bike was just work on the hills and recover on the downhills as the legs were tired after the 20 mile mark and overall bike course was 26 miles.

Time: 1:38:07 (15.89mph/avg.)

Run: 6 mile course. Once on the run course it was a little hot by now as the race didn't start till 8am. This was a 2 loop course through the park with a nasty steep climb at mile 2.5/5. The first part of the course was along the lake area and by now it was also really windy but even though it was annoying I just kept moving. My HR was in Z4 but expected. When I got to nasty hill I ran partly up it and then said I'm walking, there was a volunteer at the top calling you out but it still didn't want to make me run but I sure felt it in my ass while climbing. So once at the top it was basically back downhill to the finish line area where they make you run right by the finish line and do another loop, jerks! kiddin`. So I head back out for the second loop grabbing water cuz it's hot now and JT don't want to overheat. By mile 4 Daniel comes sneaking up behind me and we chat as he passed. I was surprised it took him that long to catch me as he is a 7min/mi type guy. Anyway, here comes nasty hill again and this time I say to myself to run up at least 1/2 way which I did and then walked the rest as the volunteer guy was gone. And now it's literally all down hill. I hit the finishing shoot and it was nice too see people cheering TNT JohnnyTri on and even a lot of the other racers were standing along the finish line area.

Time: 1:05:52 (10:58min/mile pace)

Overall Time: 3:21:51

Overall Place Clyds: 7/11

Overall Place: 111/146

The 6th place guy finished 7 mins ahead of me and 8th place finished 6 mins behind me.

I thought the race was a great and different. Yeah, there could have been better organization for such a small venue but hey, that's the way it goes sometimes. I did a better time on a tougher course. My swim was at where I predicted, my bike and run were a little slower than hoped for but I felt good and had fun. Oh and Daniel and I scored a couple of door prizes!

Daniel finished: Swim = 31:56, Bike = 1:52:38, Run = 53:03 Total: 3:14

Overall Place AG 30-34: 12/16

Overall Place: 103

And this has to take the prize for the gayest Tri Shirt Ever!!

rockon`